Heralds Digest

  “I know that the LORD will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭140:12-13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.140.12-13.nkjv Life is a game of either grease or grace. Even mechanical machinery cannot function without active lubrications, less the workings of all components become the destructive game of wear and tear. Where the gods of this world dictate the pace of the game, evil manipulation, wickedness, violence, and destruction are smartly packaged as grease. Then, the unwilling or ignorant players are left on the fray to either frost or roast in self-pity, complaints and marginalization. And without the sustaining grace of God, even the righteous does get discouraged in the race of life, when his continuous actions and contributions are consistently frustrated. Therefore, the eyes of the righteous (like the psalmist) in all of life’s daily a...

  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:23-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.139.23-24.nkjv Searching for useful exhibits to prosecute a suspect depends on the expertise and experience of the warrant officer. Incriminating evidences are usually kept away and all efforts towards covering up any known source of evil are usually deplored. However, if someone is truly made to realize that the all-seeing God is the warrant officer against all forms of unrighteousness in life, he is apt to open up; rather than exploring the intent to cover up. Therefore, when the Psalmist asked God to search his heart, he simply expressed his willingness to pay attention to what the all-seeing Warrant Officer already knew. This openness was needed in order to guarantee a fruitful fellowship with God. Unfortunately, many religious activities, like prayer fellowship, the stud...

  “The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭138:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.138.8.nkjv What concerns a man can readily be assessed by his social, family, emotional, health, and career life. When any of these aspects of life becomes challenged, it will not be difficult for any man to get the perfect report card that reflects imperfection. Therefore, the primary focus of a serious man in life is the fixing of his imperfections, through either the seeking of support from fellow man or the knocking on heavenly portal for divine intervention. However, when the Psalmist preferred to seek the LORD, he opted to expose his ignorance of the things that concerns him or the imperfections in his life. Sincerely, in everything that concerns a man in life, he is ignorant of the perfect diagnosis of the imperfections. And when God is busy fixing up the man within, the man is impatiently cryin...

  “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭130:3-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.130.3-4.nkjv One of the creepiest things with the marking of offences is that the offender may be unaware of the detailed record of violations. And the major challenges of crisis management involved the lack of faith in securing sincere forgiveness in all of human relationships. Even when a violated husband offers forgiveness to the wife, the wife often do not accept a total release from the guilt of violations. Fortunately, God do not mark the iniquities of man as man does with his fellow. Otherwise, the Psalmist confirmed that no one could stand. But with God, there is forgiveness of sins and total redemption from all iniquities. There is only one record for those who bid to accept the invitation to the throne of grace; it is the true record of redemption for those who desire a sincere escape from t...

  “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.”...Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭122:1, 9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.122.1,9.nkjv The pursuits of position, prosperity and power in family, workplace, career, and ministry seek nothing strange but simply good life. Unfortunately, and in a crude comparison to the pursuits of Adam Standler in Uncut Gems , most of life’s pursuits have ended as wildcard rather than the chasing of a purpose-driven life. Whereas, the pursuit of the house of the LORD in all of man’s life engagements (family, workplace, career, and ministry) provides the best fulfillment from all, to those who care to know. Even in our honest pursuits of good life, going into the house of the LORD implies embracing holiness and righteousness; promoting selflessness and godly characters; and advancing the expansion of the kingdom of God, in all of man’s engagements. Therefore, precious pursu...

  “Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble...I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ways are before You.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:165, 168‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.119.165,168.nkjv As the world remembers September 11 Attacks, it is instructive to know that those whose loved ones were claimed by the wickedness of men appreciates more the value of peace. In our moments of great devastation and catastrophe, questions fly freely without answers; while the state of peace within the heart is generally disturbed. Especially for those whose definition of peace is configured by the security of health, lifestyle, employment, and the state of economy, things readily fall apart when this fragile frame of their lives’ security is attacked. But the Psalmist revealed a special breed of people as those who love the precepts of the Lord. To this set of people, there is a precious peace “And nothing causes them to stumble...”. Therefore, there...

  “I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies...Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:125, 128‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.119.125,128.nkjv The difference between the concept of knowing and doing is common to the distinction between the course of religion and relationship . When there is no complication in the doing of the precepts of the Lord, it is just enough for any man to simply pursue the knowledge of divine testimonies. Therefore, in his relationship with God, the Psalmist presented the simple prayer of his absolute pursuits for the knowledge of God’s precepts. Whereas, the partial pursuits of the precepts of the Lord, coupled with the parallel pursuits of human personal ambition and self-glory, are bound to lead the mind to the authorization of permissive will. Understandably, the conflict of interest arising from the pursuits of either the variant of pe...